U.S. patent number 5,287,863 [Application Number 07/902,617] was granted by the patent office on 1994-02-22 for fingernail and toenail file/buffer.
Invention is credited to Aldran H. La Joie, Houshang Rastegar.
United States Patent |
5,287,863 |
La Joie , et al. |
February 22, 1994 |
Fingernail and toenail file/buffer
Abstract
The present invention relates to a nail file/buffer which has a
core with at least two layers of resilient material on at least one
side of the core and has at least one abrasive surface. The device
provides means for even and efficient natural and artificial nail
filing and buffing regardless of the size and shape of the nail to
be filed and/or buffed. The structure and configuration of the
device provide sufficient flexibility so the device easily conforms
to the size and shape of the nail to be filed or buffed and,
therefore, maximizes the surface area of the nail worked on at any
one time. In addition, the structure and configuration of the
device provide sufficient rigidity so the device remains easy to
manipulate.
Inventors: |
La Joie; Aldran H. (Mission
Viejo, CA), Rastegar; Houshang (Agoura, CA) |
Family
ID: |
25416116 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/902,617 |
Filed: |
June 23, 1992 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
132/76.4;
132/200; 451/358; D28/59 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D
29/11 (20130101); A45D 29/04 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A45D
29/00 (20060101); A45D 29/11 (20060101); A45D
29/04 (20060101); A45D 029/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;132/200,75.6,76.4,76.5
;51/391,392,393 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Weiss; John G.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lyon & Lyon
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A nail tool comprising
at least one of a nail buffer or a nail file having
a core layer with at least one side,
at least two layers of resilient material wherein the material
comprises at least one of foam and rubber on at least one side of
said core layer and with at least one outside surface, and
an abrasive material on at least one outside surface of said
resilient material.
2. A nail tool comprising
at least one of a nail buffer or a nail file having
a core layer with at least one side,
at least two layers of resilient material wherein the material
comprises at least one of foam and rubber of differing densities on
at least one side of said core layer and with at least one outside
surface, and
an abrasive material on at least one outside surface.
3. A nail tool comprising
at least one of a nail buffer or a nail file having
a core layer with at least one side,
at least tow layers of resilient material wherein the material
comprises at least one of foam and rubber of differing thicknesses
on at least one side of said core layer and with at least one
outside surface, and
an abrasive material on at least one outside surface.
4. A nail tool comprising
at least one of a nail buffer or a nail file having
a core layer with two sides,
two layers of resilient material wherein the material comprises at
least one of foam and rubber of differing densities on each side of
said core layer and with two outside surfaces, and
an abrasive material on each of the two outside surfaces of the
resilient material.
5. A method of at least one of filing and buffing a human
fingernail or toenail surface comprising the steps of
(1) pressing a nail tool having an abrasive surface and multiple
layers of resilient material wherein the material comprises at
least one of foam and rubber on at least one side of a core against
a human nail surface,
(2) abrading the human nail with the abrasive surface of said
tool.
6. A nail tool comprising at least one of a nail buffer or a nail
file having
a core layer with at least one side,
at least two layers of foam on at least one side of said core layer
and with at least one outside surface, and
an abrasive material on at least one outside surface of the
foam.
7. The nail tool of claim 6 wherein the at least two layers of foam
on at least one side of said core layer are of differing
densities.
8. The nail tool of claim 6 wherein the at least two layers of foam
on at least one side of said core layer are of differing
thicknesses.
9. A nail tool comprising at least one of a nail buffer or a nail
file having
a core layer with two sides,
two layers of foam of differing densities on each side of said core
and with two outside surfaces, and
an abrasive material on each of the two outside surfaces of the
foam.
10. A method of at least one of filing and buffing a fingernail or
toenail surface comprising the steps of
(1) pressing a nail tool having an abrasive surface and multiple
layers of foam on at least one side of a core against a human nail
surface, and
(2) abrading the human nail with the abrasive surface of said
tool.
11. A nail tool comprising at least one of a nail buffer or a nail
file having
a thin rigid core with two sides,
a first layer of foam laminated to each side of the core and each
having an outer surface,
a second layer of foam laminated to each outer surface of the first
layer of foam, having different density from the first layer of
foam, and each having an outer surface, and
an abrasive material laminated to each outer surface of the second
layer of foam.
12. The tool of claim 11 wherein the first and second layers of
foam are polyethylene closed cell foam with density within a range
of 1.5 to 6 pounds per cubic foot.
13. A nail tool comprising at least one of a nail buffer or a nail
file having
a thin rigid core with two sides,
a first layer of foam laminated to each side of the core and each
having an outer surface,
a second layer of foam laminated to each outer surface of the first
layer of foam, having different thickness from the first layer of
foam, and each having an outer surface, and
an abrasive material laminated to each outer surface of the second
layer of foam.
14. The nail tool of claim 13 wherein the first layer of foam has a
different density than the second layer of foam.
15. A nail tool comprising at least one of a nail buffer or a nail
file having
a core layer with at least one side,
at least two layers of rubber on at least one side of said core
layer and with at least one outside surface, and
an abrasive material on at least one outside surface of the
rubber.
16. The nail tool of claim 15 wherein the at least two layers of
rubber on at least one side of said core layer are of differing
densities.
17. The nail tool of claim 15 wherein the at least two layers of
rubber on at least one side of said core layer are of differing
thicknesses.
18. A nail tool comprising at least one of a nail buffer or a nail
file having
a core layer with two sides,
two layers of rubber of differing densities on each side of said
core and with two outside surfaces, and
an abrasive material on each of the two outside surfaces of the
rubber.
19. A method of at least one of filing and buffing a fingernail or
toenail surface comprising the steps of
(1) pressing a nail tool having an abrasive surface and multiple
layers of rubber on at least one side of a core against a human
nail surface, and
(2) abrading the human nail with the abrasive surface of said tool.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to fingernail and toenail tools,
particularly fingernail and toenail files and buffers.
BACKGROUND
The most visible surface of a natural or artificial fingernail or
toenail is its top surface. Many people enjoy accentuating their
fingernails and toenails by filing and buffing these surfaces to
shine them or to prepare them for decorating with colors, designs,
or jewelry. Manicurists and others encounter many difficulties and
inconveniences when attempting to evenly file or buff natural or
artificial fingernails or toenails. These difficulties cannot be
easily overcome by the current technology.
Difficulties arise due to the fact that natural or artificial
fingernails and toenails are, in general, curved and diversely
shaped. Different people have differently shaped fingernails,
toenails, and fingernail and toenail surfaces. The nail surfaces
can be large or small, long or short, flat or rounded. Difficulties
arise when people attempt to evenly and efficiently file and/or
buff these differently shaped nail surfaces.
Generally, the surface of a natural or artificial fingernail or
toenail is filed or buffed by forcing an abrasive surface of a tool
back and forth across the surface of the nail (each back and forth
motion comprising a stroke). A certain amount of pressure must be
applied to allow the abrasive surface of the tool to abrade the
nail surface being filed or buffed. The area of the nail surface
that the abrasive surface of the tool contacts depends upon the
curvature of the nail surface, the amount of pressure applied in
using the tool, and the physical features of the tool itself.
Rigid nail tools, such as emery boards, are disclosed in the prior
art. Abrasive surfaces of such tools contact only a small portion
of a curved nail surface in any one stroke. These rigid tools work
tangent to the curved nail surface and, therefore, the tool (or the
nail being worked upon) must be manipulated further for the
abrasive surface to contact the entire nail surface. Furthermore,
these tools may not abrade the nail surface evenly and efficiently
because only portions of the surface are worked on in any one
stroke.
Flexible nail tools, such as emery sheets, are disclosed in the
prior art. Abrasive surfaces of such tools may be capable of
contacting the entire surface of a nail in any one stroke. However,
these tools are difficult to manipulate because they require excess
pressure to force the abrasive surface to abrade the nail surface.
In addition, depending on whether the pressure applied is balanced
these tools may not abrade the nail surface evenly and
efficiently.
Therefore, a more even and efficient filing or buffing will occur
if a nail tool is sufficiently flexible such that it encounters a
greater area of the nail surface in any one stroke and the nail
tool structure is sufficiently rigid such that it provides for
balancing the pressure applied.
Various rigid and flexible fingernail and toenail tools (files and
buffers) are disclosed in the prior art. However, none of these
prior art tools comprise a file or buffer which maximizes a
combination of the benefits of both rigidity and flexibility.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The nail file/buffer of the present application comprises a tool
for buffing or filing natural or artificial fingernails or
toenails. The tool is of novel structure and design such that
structural benefits of flexibility and rigidity are maximized in a
single tool. The tool comprises a thin core layer having multiple
layers (two or more) of resilient materials (which may have varying
thicknesses and densities) laminated to at least one side of the
core. The resilient material layers comprise at least one
outer-most layer having at least one abrasive surface laminated to
the outer-most layer.
Accordingly, a principal object of this invention is to provide an
improved natural and artificial fingernail and toenail file/buffer.
Another object of this invention is to provide a natural and
artificial nail file/buffer which has sufficient flexibility such
that it easily conforms to the shape of a natural or artificial
fingernail or toenail surface.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a natural and
artificial fingernail and toenail file/buffer which has sufficient
rigidity such that it is easily manipulated to abrade natural or
artificial fingernail and toenail surfaces.
An additional object of this invention is to provide a natural and
artificial fingernail and toenail tool which may be used to work on
a maximum surface area of a natural or artificial fingernail or
toenail at any one time regardless of the nail's size and shape. It
is a further object of this invention to provide a natural and
artificial fingernail and toenail file/buffer which may be used to
provide an even and efficient abrasion on a natural or artificial
fingernail or toenail surface.
The present invention relates to a natural and artificial nail
file/buffer which provides means for even and efficient nail filing
and buffing regardless of the size and shape of the nail to be
filed and/or buffed. The structure and configuration of the device
provide sufficient flexibility so the device easily conforms to the
size and shape of the nail to be filed or buffed and, therefore,
maximizes the surface area of the nail worked on at any one time.
In addition, the structure and configuration of the device provide
sufficient rigidity so the device remains easy to manipulate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the device of the present
invention.
FIG. 2 shows a side elevational view of the device as it is being
used to file/buff a fingernail.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of
the present invention in the form of a natural and artificial nail
file/buffer device 10. The device 10 comprises three components: a
core layer 12, resilient material layers 14, 16, 18, and 20, and
outer abrasive surfaces 22, 24, and 26.
As shown in FIG. 2, the device 10 is used to file/buff a natural or
artificial fingernail 28 by forcing the device 10 down upon the
fingernail 28 such that an abrasive surface 22, 24, or 26 is in
contact with the surface of the nail 28. The device 10 could also
be used by forcing the surface of the nail 28 down upon the device
10.
Turning to the preferred embodiment of the device 10 in more
detail, as shown in FIG. 1, the device 10 comprises a core layer 12
having at least two layers of resilient material 14, 16, 18, or 20
laminated to each other and to at least one side of said core 12.
(FIG. 1 shows the device 10 with two layers of resilient material
14 and 16, and 18 and 20, on each side of the core 12.) The
resilient material layers 14, 16, 18, and 20 comprise at least one
inner layer 16 or 18 and one outer layer 14 or 20 laminated to each
other. The outer resilient material layer 14 or 20 has laminated
thereon one or more abrasive surfaces 22, 24, or 26 of the type
used to file and/or buff natural and/or artificial fingernails and
toenails. The resilient material layers 14, 16, 18, and 20 may
comprise two or more layers on one or more sides of the core 12.
For example, the device 10 of the present invention could comprise
a core 12 with two or more resilient material layers (e.g. 14 and
16) laminated to each other and to one side of the core 12. In
addition, the resilient material layers 14, 16, 18, and 20 may
comprise resilient materials of various thicknesses and
densities.
Materials suitable to be used as the core layer 12 include plastic,
wood, and metal, with the core 12 preferably made from polystyrene
plastic. The core 12 may have a thickness of between one
one-hundredth of an inch and one inch thick and is preferably six
one-hundredths of an inch thick.
Materials suitable to be used as the resilient material layers 14,
16, 18, and 20 include foam such as Volara.RTM. extruded radiation
cross-linked polyethylene closed cell foam available from Voltek
Division of Sekisui America Corp., Lawrence, Massachusetts, and
rubber such as Natural Rubber available from Monroe Rubber &
Plastics, Inc., Monroe, Michigan. The resilient material layers 14,
16, 18, and 20 may be of the same or different thicknesses between
one thirty-second of an inch to one inch thick, and are preferably
about an eighth of an inch thick each. In addition, the resilient
material layers 14, 16, 18, and 20 may be of the same or different
densities. For example, the Volara.RTM. foam described above is
available in nominal densities between one and a half to six pounds
per cubic foot. In addition, the Natural Rubber described above is
available with a density of about sixty pounds per cubic foot. The
resilient material used in the preferred embodiment of the present
invention 10 is foam with one layer having a density of two pounds
per cubic foot and a thickness of one-eighth of an inch and another
layer having a density of four pounds per cubic foot and a
thickness of one-eighth of an inch (both available from the Voltek
Division of Sekisui America Corp. described above).
Materials suitable to be used as the abrasive surfaces 22, 24, and
26 include those abrasive surfaces for abrading natural and
artificial fingernails and toenails which are well known in the
art.
The resilient material layers 14, 16, 18, and 20 are laminated or
glued to the core layer 12 by methods well known in the art. It is
an important feature of the present invention that at least two
resilient material layers 14, 16, 18, and 20 are laminated together
because the glue or other adhesive used to laminate the layers
together provides additional structural support which enhances the
rigidity of the device 10 and, therefore, its ease of manipulation
and ability to provide balanced abrasion. In addition, the abrasive
surface layers 22, 24, and 26 are laminated or glued to outer-most
resilient material layers 14 and 20 by methods well known in the
art.
Combining a core 12 with multiple layers of resilient material 14,
16, 18, and 20 (e.g. two or more layers) allows the device 10 to
have sufficient flexibility to conform to the surface of a natural
or artificial nail 28 and yet retain sufficient rigidity to allow
ease of manipulation. As shown in FIG. 2, when the device 10 is
used the multiple layers of resilient material 14, 16, 18, and 20
offer flexibility in that the device 10 easily conforms to the
shape of the natural or artificial fingernail 28 worked upon, and
sufficient rigidity in that the device 10 maintains its shape
sufficient to allow ease of manipulation and balanced abrasion. It
is the combination of multiple layers of resilient material 14, 16,
18, and 20 which provides these unique properties of flexibility
and rigidity. Although the preferred embodiment of the device 10,
as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, comprises two layers of resilient
material 14, 16, 18, and 20 which have differing densities on each
of two sides of a core layer 12, the present application also
covers a device 10 having two or more layers of resilient material
(e.g. 14 and 16 or 18 and 20) which are of the same or different
densities on only one side of a core layer 12 (or on more sides of
a differently shaped core layer 12).
As shown in FIG. 1, the device 10 comprises abrasive material
surfaces 22, 24, and 26. Although the preferred embodiment of the
device 10 comprises three such abrasive surfaces 22, 24, and 26,
the device 10 could comprise more or fewer such surfaces.
While embodiments of the present invention have been shown and
described, various modifications may be made without departing from
the scope of the present invention, and all such modifications and
equivalents are intended to be covered.
* * * * *